前苏联共合国乔治亚这一阵子流行用水蛭治疗疾病,以往欧洲人会用水蛭治疗痔疮,乔治亚人把这项疗法发扬光大,用来治疗其他疾病。- Z+ c2 A0 }* k
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乔治亚很多诊所都提供水蛭疗法,病人得先跟诊所买一只水蛭,更年期妇女先把水蛭放在脖子上,经过一、二十分钟,水蛭吸完血,身体膨胀4倍,就可以取下,接着医师再把另外2只水蛭放在这名妇女上下牙龈上,等吸完血再取出,医师在患者伤口上贴上绷带,就算完成治疗。接受过治疗的妇女说,她们在更年期会出现的潮红和盗汗都有明显改善。 & V0 z3 U7 g/ F- R: z) j- k, y- J7 l
另外,有一些高血压或是经常性头痛病人,也会用水蛭疗法降低血压,或是治疗头痛。一名医师说,不但乔治亚人用水蛭治病,乌克兰、波兰、甚至德国,也有不少人接受这种疗法。 , K1 J6 u$ [& T3 g5 g8 D# u8 k 4 Z& A9 Q) f5 `/ W人在德国 社区1 X# |& q1 r! w; x# q
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Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 f7 e* h) X; N
w; |9 y, x# C8 s9 Y5 w' x Vrs238848.rs.hosteurope.deLeeches have been used in medicine for thousands of years. By attaching themselves to the body, and sucking blood from a patient, they were thought to bring health benefits., i9 g8 b, p5 l
8 w+ n( Q: l* H$ e4 a$ Q- A( [4 MThe idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood. 3 e, C: J; R1 U/ l$ @3 M 3 P6 O# Q' ~! h) \: @5 C8 MThat idea fell out of fashion during the 20th century, with the discovery of modern drugs. But today, as interest in traditional medicine grows, they are making a comeback - particularly in the former Soviet State of Georgia. e. \0 J) ^+ `! I
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Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.